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Crumbs 115

Salvation

Scripture Mark 9:20-29 New International Version 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.””

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I am fascinated by the way Jesus dealt with different people in this miracle. He questions and listens to the distraught father. The result is an honest confession of faith from the father about his faith or rather his lack of it. In the peculiar challenges of twenty first century living there is so much we can learn from the Lord in how to live and how to deal with people. It’s all in the Gospels . There is a book here to be written, “ The Saviour’s way.”

In this miracle pure goodness meets disabling evil. The meeting results in a violent clash. It is evil that is terrified and it is the evil spirit that flees never to return. Such is our Lord’s authority. With the oceans rising , the glaciers melting, the earth warming and nations unable to live with each other it is tempting to lose hope and become defeatist. In this text there is a reminder. Good wins. The Saviour conquers.

The failure of the disciples to deal with the evil spirit taught them a vital lesson. Their power was derivative. It came from God and they needed to stay in touch with Him if they were to work effectively if they were to work in this earthly realm of brokenness. Our Lord puts His finger on the solution, prayer. My mind wanders and I sometimes find I must write my prayers. This world is so invasive I must return to a prayerful state of mind. “ I must have the Saviour with me for I dare not walk alone.”

Questions

1. What do we learn from Jesus as how to deal with people ?

2. Why were the disciples impotent ?.

3. What part should prayer play in our every day conflicts ?

Crumbs 114

 

Crumbs 114

Helpless Humanity

Scripture Mark 9:14-19 NIV 14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. 16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. 17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

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This incident illustrates human need and divine sufficiency, The evil spirit had robbed the boy of his ability to express himself and control over his body. He was powerless. Too often this is where man devised life palliatives lead. All the disciples and scribes could offer were words and arguments. When Christians are confronted by a crying need the temptation is to pronounce a pontificating philosophy when what is needed is action. Not only “ I will pray for you” but “ I will help you!” The answer begins by being overwhelmed by Christ and then bringing the problem to Him.

The use of the words “spirit” poses a challenge. 21^st century person seeks a naturalistic explanation. 1^st century people would speak of evil spirits. I do not see them as contradictory, A scientific explanation does us holding a supernaturalistic one as well,

When Christ appears on the scene the reaction of the crowd teaches us so much. They were lost in wonder. They greeted Him. We all need to get to know Jesus by whatever means are available, in the word in life and in each other

A lesson from the transfiguration is re-endorsed. .The distraught father had gone to the disciples. Christ alone could do it. But we turn to our preachers, denominations and movement. They will not do. It has to be Christ alone.

Christ is aware of the shortening time and utters a profound be of advice that echoes down the years “Bring the boy to me” This lesson could be applied in so many situations .

Questions

1. What similarities are there between the state of the boy and the human race ?

2. Why were the disciples impotent ?.

3. What does this passage teach about the nature of good and evil ?

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Crumbs 112

Destiny

Scripture Mark 9:2-13 NIV 2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

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Why did Jesus do this ? Two reasons come to me. 1. Jesus was blessing His friends. They would have to face many challenges. Doubts would threaten but this milestone is a reassurance they could recall. Jesus briefly draws the curtain on a deeper reality,

2. Jesus is teaching his disciples the place He has in divine revelation .within and beyond the law and the prophets. They have been fulfilled and superseded. The voice from the cloud points to the importance of Christ in God’s dealing with us. The response to Peter’s suggestion is to wean him off the idea that the law can save and that the prophets were the last word from God.. It is a directing to the path of grace.

Once again we note that Jesus asks for them to keep quiet about His miraculous activity. His was not the path of overwhelming force but of love. This was going to be seen in His entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Its ultimate fulfilment was in the cross. “ Not by power nor by might by by my Spirit “

The disciples are mystified by the various hints they are picking up about the future. They could not have conceived of the death, agony and victory to come. “ just as it is written about him” This statement tells us that God has planned the future. Death and life for the whole world are in His hands.

Questions

1. What part may spiritual experiences play in the life of faith ?

2. What does this passage teach us about the Lord Jesus Christ ?.

3. What do the teaching and transfiguration of the Lord teach us about our life and reality ?

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Crumbs 112

Destiny

Scripture Mark 8:31-9:1NIV 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” 34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” 9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

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This is challenging and difficult. Satan means enemy. The rebuke of Peter seems harsh but when we consider what is at stake here globally and spiritually we begin to understand. Jesus is moving towards that great sacrifice He had to make. Any diversion from this aim, any temptation to avoid this goal is unacceptable. These are the concerns of God but Peter sees things only from an immediate human point of view.

Out of this altercation comes some teaching that the Lord esteems so important that the Lord calls the crowd together to hear it. This world with its baubles and its riches is nothing to the value of our eternal destiny. It is a matter of values. Which is more important to me? My immediate happiness or fulfilling the demands of love; our love of the Saviour and there fore for each other

In the Bible there are some big ideas that I do not understand. Some of this inability to understand arises from my humanity. Another is that the truths are so transcendent they are beyond the wit of mortal man. Two of these realities are “the Word of God” and “The kingdom of God “. The kingdom of God is where His will is done. God’s will was the cross. It causes the effects of sin to be reversed. The broken is mended. This is the will of God. The death of Christ on the cross was the beginning of the kingdom. Those who heard Christ preach on this occasion could have seen Him die. They saw the kingdom come. We benefit from this coming.

Questions

1. In what ways do we resist Christ’s will for us?

2. What are the difference between God’s point of view and the human point of view ?.

3. What are the effects of the cross for us today ?